Marion Berry

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the ranking member and the chairman one more time for the great job they have done on this bill. Mr. Chairman, we have been hearing about farmers all day on this floor. I have heard enough bad information to make me want to dip a snuff. All day we have been hearing about how bad large farmers are. Now we are hearing that not only large farmers are bad, but small farmers are bad if they produce sugar, and if they produce sugar in South Florida, they are absolutely terrible. The fact is, American sugar farmers are just like every other farmers in America. They do a great job. They know what they are doing. They are the most efficient that there is. We cannot support replacing efficient American farmers with subsidized foreign sugar. The gentleman from Idaho that preceded me is absolutely right, there is no such thing as a free market in sugar. That is an idea that will never occur in my lifetime, and very likely not in the next 200 years. It is the most political commodity that there is on the planet. The American people get a good deal for their sugar program. They pay 20 percent less for sugar than consumers in most other developed countries. In terms of minutes of work to buy one pound of sugar, our sugar is about the most affordable in the entire world. The retail price of sugar has risen less than two pennies per pound over the past 10 years. It would be foolish for us to force the production of sugar from this country offshore in an effort to just do more damage to American agriculture.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the ranking member and the chairman of this committee for the wonderful work that they have done in crafting a bill that is the best that we could do given the resources at our disposal. I think they did an outstanding job, along with the staff of the Committee on Agriculture on both sides of the aisle. I want to compliment them for the great work that they have done. Mr. Chairman, the United States of America has the safest, most abundant, and the most reasonably priced food and fiber supply of any nation in the world by more than half. We do twice as well in that respect as any other nation. It is something that we can be very proud of and very thankful for. The Farm Security Act of 2001 ensures our ability to continue to produce our own supply of affordable food and fiber. Without this assistance to our farmers, production will move offshore, forcing the U.S. to depend on other nations for our food. This is, in fact, a national security issue. I believe, I have not read it, but I am told that there is a story in a national newspaper today criticizing and ridiculing that idea. If we did not have the ability to feed ourselves and produce that food right here in this country, our national security would indeed be threatened. Nearly every farm organization in the country has endorsed this bill. They support the 80 percent increase in conservation spending to help make this the greenest farm bill ever and to make sure that we continue the effort to improve our water quality, to improve the protection of our soil, and the air quality in this country. This will benefit not only rural, but urban communities. It helps support the rural economy by helping farmers break even. I have heard many stories in the last few months, and particularly in the last couple of weeks, and especially just yesterday about this bill just goes to subsidize farmers and inefficient producers and so-called fat cat producers. Mr. Chairman, today no one is getting into farming. If this is such a lucrative idea and a lucrative piece of legislation, we would have people lined up trying to get in this business instead of lined up trying to get out of it. If we do not pass this farm bill this week, or before this Congress goes out of session, I can tell you that it is a threat to our ability to continue to feed and clothe this country in an efficient manner. I want to be on record as being supportive of this bill, the way it came out of committee with almost no amendments. There will be an amendment offered that will attempt to totally reorganize food policy in this country, and I think we should oppose it.

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. This is the best fed country in the world. All you have got to do is walk around the streets to see that. We are all doing pretty good. I certainly get more than my fair share of it, but all the rhetoric on this floor today fails to realize that. I have heard just in the last few minutes over and over again how we have an oversupply. These people that are talking about an oversupply, how do you check what the stocks to use ratios are in this country? We have got the lowest ending stock projected for next year that we have had since 1973. There is not any huge supply of grain built up here or anyplace else in the world. I do not know where this imaginary supply is. I do not know where this overproduction is. It does not exist. Freedom to farm let people plant for the market. They did plant for the market. The supplies are not there and we actually have some risk if we do not continue to produce at that level. We could run out of food in this country. It is not a social program. Farm programs are not designed to protect small farmers or large farmers or create some kind of social condition or recreate a Jeffersonian democracy. That is not what they are for. They are to make sure that America has enough food and fiber to be self-sufficient and be secure. That is what this is all about. If we are going to start limiting government programs in the way that has been mentioned here today, then we should limit the airlines to $150,000. We just passed big bucks last week. Let us just limit the airlines, give them all $150,000 and cut them off at that. You cannot make it, buddy, tough luck. That makes just as much sense as what this amendment does. If this is such a profitable deal and everybody that is involved in agriculture is standing at the government trough, why are not there more people lined up out there to do it? Boy, I tell you what, if you want to get rich, just go to Arkansas, buy you a big rice farm. You will find out how big, how wealthy you can get. There is not anybody down there wanting to do it right now. Once we create a situation in this country where people just do not want to farm anymore, we are at risk with our food supply. This talk of overproduction is just simply not true. We need to pay attention to the situation and not kill the goose that laid the golden egg and make sure that our farmers are able to stay in business and do the wonderful job that they have done for this country since it was founded.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, this motion to recommit is very simple. It is the underlying bill that we are considering today, H.R. 2563, the true Bipartisan Patient Protection Act, but with one important difference: The costs of the bill are entirely paid for in the motion to recommit. The sponsors of the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act had committed ourselves to paying for the cost of the bill, and we added these pay- fors when we presented a substitute to the Committee on Rules. However, the Committee on Rules would not even let us offer this substitute. The underlying bill, the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act, is nearly the same as the Senate-passed bill. It was a bill that was debated for 2 weeks by the Senate, not 2 hours. It was ultimately passed by the Senate in a true bipartisan majority of 59, just like a true bipartisan majority passed a similar bill here in the last Congress. However, this motion to recommit is even better than either of those bills because it keeps our promise that nearly every Member of this House, nearly every Member that sits this evening here on this floor has promised to pay for our bills and not to raid the Medicare and Social Security trust fund. Mr. Speaker, this is a commitment we have made to the American people, and it should be honored. The provisions to pay for the bill are good government provisions. They continue the existing customs fees, as did the Senate, and they crack down on sham business enterprises designed solely to generate tax benefits. Nothing in the recently passed bill is changed. I want to remind my colleagues that because the Committee on Rules did not make these provisions in order, this motion to recommit is Members' only opportunity to vote for an amendment to pay for this bill. It is Members' only chance not to rob the Medicare and Social Security trust funds. I urge a ``yes'' vote. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt), the ranking member of the Committee on the Budget.

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey, and I thank him for his leadership, along with many others that have worked hard on this issue. The gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) has worked tirelessly and continues to work tirelessly in the interests of patients, particularly children. It has been an interesting day. We have heard a lot of rhetoric on this floor. I have been almost amused. I say ``almost.'' This would be funny, it would be amusing if it was not such serious business. I have heard my colleagues on this side of the aisle stand in the well and talk about how our bill allows us to sue like they are proud of it. But this bill over here is a terrible thing; it lets you sue also. Like I say, if it was not for the serious nature of this, it would be funny. Meryl Haggart, a great country singer, has this song that he sings, made probably back in the 1980s, called Rainbow Stew. It says, ``When a President goes through the White House door and does what he says he will do, we will all be drinking that free bubble-up and eating that rainbow stew.'' This is the biggest batch of rainbow stew I have ever seen. That is what it is, folks. It is rainbow stew. That is what your constituents are going to get is rainbow stew. I carry this buckeye in my pocket. It is a worthless little old thing. Folklore in Arkansas says if you carry one, it will bring you good luck and keep rheumatism away if you rub it just right. You have got to know how to rub it. That is what this is going to be worth to the American people. Now, we have heard over and over that the real important thing about this is, it will be signed into law. If this ever gets signed into law, I will come to this floor, ask for unanimous consent, and stand on my head and stack BBs. And I am not in too good a shape. I think it would be very difficult. I urge this body not to do something so foolish as to vote for this amendment.

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Mr. BERRY. Yes, Mr. Speaker, in its current form I am.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. I thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske), and all the people who have worked so hard on trying to get a legitimate Patients' Bill of Rights on this floor so we could vote on it, so the American people would have what they have tirelessly asked for, and that our people could get the health care they have paid for. It is unbelievable to me that today we are going to allow an amendment to this bill that will make it possible once again for the insurance companies to mistreat, abuse, take advantage of the American people for time immemorial, it appears, right now. We are going to be standing here a year from now, and we are going to see these same pictures the gentleman from Iowa (Dr. Ganske) has been showing us ever since I have been in this House. They are horrible pictures. The thought of an insurance company doing this to a child is unbearable and unbelievable to all of us. But we are going to take up an amendment today and a bill today that would make it possible for the insurance companies to continue to do this, only with more impunity. We are not going to be able to hold them accountable for anything. We are going to supersede State law; and to make matters even worse, Mr. Chairman, this bill is going to cost $20 billion, and we are going to use the magic pay-for card to pay for it. I do not know where this card money comes from, but we are going to start issuing them to anyone. Anytime we have a bill and we do not know where to get the money for it, get the magic pay-for card for it. Members can see it, surely. All we have to do is present it and everything is already all right. We are not even going to pay for this bill. We had the pay-fors in this bill last night, and the Committee on Rules took it out. It is unbelievable that we would allow the insurance companies to continue to take advantage of the American people. Mr. Chairman, I urge our Members not to vote for this terrible piece of legislation.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. I want to thank the gentlewoman from New York for yielding time. I also want to thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) for his great leadership in this matter and, of course, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and all the others that have worked so hard for this. Mr. Speaker, the only way I can describe this rule and the bill that is going to be offered as amended to this House today is ridiculous. Just to begin with, the Committee on Rules was asked to take up a rule for a bill they had not seen, that nobody had written yet. They had to declare Wednesday was Thursday. If you have got something planned on Thursday you very well may lose it, because we are going to skip Thursday this week. Today is Wednesday. Tomorrow is going to be Friday. That just shows you how ridiculous this whole thing has gotten. We have got an old Southern saying about politics that those that get on early get taken care of, everybody else gets good government. I think we have clearly seen the evidence that the insurance companies got on early in the last campaign. They have clearly been taken care of. We have been presented with this so-called agreement between the White House and someone on Capitol Hill where we have said that we are just going to trample State law, do whatever you have to do to take the State courts out of it; we are going to take away any rights from the American people to deal with their insurance companies. This whole bill should be called the HMO Protection Act, because they have got more protection now than they had before this bill was written. I do not think it will ever become law. I think it will die in conference. But it is such a ridiculous idea that we would present this to the American people and try to hoodwink them into thinking that they are going to have a better deal. Besides that, Mr. Speaker, it is not paid for. We are just going to issue a magic lucky card to pay for it. I am surprised that the lucky card is not described in the language.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Arkansan and outstanding law enforcement officer. I am proud to recognize Jackie Davis in the Congress for his invaluable contributions and service to his community, to our state, and to our nation. Cabot Police Chief Jackie Davis is a life long resident of northern Lonoke County, Arkansas and started his public service career as a volunteer firefighter with the Tri-Community Fire Department, where he served for approximately two years. Chief Davis then became a volunteer firefighter at the Cabot Fire Department, where he served until hired by the Cabot Police Department on August 1, 1985. Since joining the Cabot Police Department, Chief Davis has advanced through the ranks of the Department, holding several positions including Patrol Officer, Senior Patrol Officer, Sergeant, and Lieutenant. Chief Davis has witnessed the rapid growth of the City of Cabot throughout his career as a police officer. Chief Davis was promoted to Chief of Police in 1997 and has demonstrated his proven ability to lead a progressive police department. Chief Davis and his wife Kim are very active in the community, supporting various public programs and school activities. Chief Davis supports his children Todd, Alex, Tara and Stacy in their various hobbies and activities, specifically academic and athletic events. Chief Davis is truly a ``cop's cop'' and his open door policy and listening ear have made him a positive mentor and leader for his officers. There is an old police saying, ``every good cop stays a rookie at heart.'' Chief Davis is a fine example of what a Chief should be. Jackie Davis is a law enforcement officer, a husband, a father, and a friend to many. He has dedicated his life to serving his fellow citizens as a leader in both his profession and his community, and he deserves our respect and gratitude for his priceless contributions. On behalf of the Congress, I extend congratulations and best wishes to my good friend Jackie Davis on his successes and achievements.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Arkansas city that celebrated its centennial on July 3rd. I am proud to recognize the City of Manila in the Congress for its outstanding community spirit and its contributions to Arkansas and the nation. Manila was incorporated in 1901 after a population and industry boom in the area. Recordings of Manila go all the way back to the 1500's when Hernando de Soto crossed the Mississippi River. Accounts taken from his travels talk about a Native American settlement, although there were several European settlers also said to be living in the area. Manila is also known for being a settlement of fugitive Cherokee who snuck away from the Trail of Tears as they were being forcibly driven from Georgia in 1838. The swamps were so overgrown that the federal soldiers didn't want to go look for them and simply declared them as dead. These runaways later settled in what is today Manila and the surrounding areas. From its beginning, Manila was primarily an agriculture town. The people in the area lived on the plentiful game and fish in the area and developed an industry by shipping it to markets in St. Louis, Chicago, and as far east as New York. Later, timber became the chief industry. Logs would be sent to mills down the river until the quality and quantity of the timber reached the railroad industry. In 1900, the Jonesboro, Lake City, and Eastern Railway extended its line to Manila. With the railroad came a schoolhouse, general store, a mill, and a population boom. Today Manila is still growing. In fact, it is the fastest growing town in Mississippi County. That is why I rise today on behalf of the citizens of the First Congressional District, the State of Arkansas, and the United States Congress to wish the City of Manila a happy 100th birthday.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great American soldier and citizen, and I am proud to recognize Colonel Daniel W. Krueger in the Congress for his invaluable contributions and service to the Mid-South region and our nation. Colonel Krueger has served for the past three years as the Memphis District Commander for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and he has distinguished himself by focusing on meeting the region's water resource needs, reducing costs, and decreasing project delivery time without sacrificing quality. His exceptional leadership skills guided the Memphis District into the 21st Century with an engaged workforce dedicated to open communications, improved safety and mission focused training. Key projects completed under his command include: Hickman Bluff Stabilization, Whiteman's Creek, Francis Bland Floodway, and the initial on-farm construction phase of the Grand Prairie Demonstration Project. He has dedicated his life to serving his fellow soldiers and citizens as a leader in both his profession as an engineer and his military service, and he deserves our respect and gratitude for his contributions. On behalf of the Congress, I extend congratulations and best wishes to this faithful servant, Colonel Daniel W. Krueger, on his successes and achievements.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Arkansan and an outstanding citizen, and I am proud to recognize Charles ``Chicken'' Jeans in the Congress for his invaluable contributions and service to his community, to our state, and our nation. ``Chicken'' has worn many hats during his lifetime: husband, father, grandfather, farmer, car salesman, and county road supervisor--to name just a few. But he will always tell you that he is ``nothing but a bird.'' In Lonoke County and around Arkansas, ``Chicken'' is well known as the man to see if you need anything. ``Chicken'' came to work for the county on September 24, 1984, and he retired sixteen years later, on September 16, 2000 after serving under three county judges. Judge ``Dude'' Spence, Judge Don Bevis, and Judge Carol Bevis all valued ``Chicken'' for his experience and knowledge of the county. Ask any politician, farmer, or businessman in central Arkansas what they will be doing on the second Thursday in August, and they will say, ``I'm going to Coy for the Po' Boy Supper to see Chicken!'' The Po' Boy Supper has been an annual event for many years. Several hundred people gather to eat barbecue bologna with all the trimmings, and to listen to Chicken laugh and tell tall tales. On behalf of the Congress, I extend congratulations and best wishes to Charles ``Chicken'' Jeans, on his successes and achievements. He has made life better for Lonoke County citizens, and richer for all--like me--who are lucky enough to call him a friend.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Arkansan and an outstanding citizen, and I am proud to recognize William Jackson Bevis, Sr. in the Congress for his invaluable contributions and service to his community, to our state, and our nation. William was from Scott, Arkansas, and was born on August 14, 1922, in Pulaski County, Arkansas. He married Mary Jo Barnett in 1942, and they were blessed with three sons, Bill Bevis, Jr., Don R. Bevis, and Bob Bevis. William was President of W.J. Bevis & Sons, Inc. and owner of William J. and Mary Jo Bevis Farms. He attended Peabody School and graduated from Scott High School in 1941. He was elected to Lonoke County Agriculture Conservation and Stabilization Service Commission in 1950 and served off and on for 25 years. He served 20 years on the District Soil and Water Conservation Board and was appointed by then-Gov. Dale Bumpers to chair a study of water diversion from the Arkansas River to the eastern Arkansas Delta. He served on the Lonoke School Board from 1962 and 1972. William was elected to the Federal Land Bank Board and served 15 years, 10 years as chairman. He was President of Farm Credit Services of Central Arkansas for 10 years and was appointed by Farm Credit of St. Louis to a task force for Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas, to restructure regulations for farm loans and credit in these states. He was appointed by then Gov. David Pryor to the State Board of Corrections for a five-year term. He was appointed by then Gov. Bill Clinton to the Arkansas Agriculture Museum Board in Scott and he, along with Governor Clinton and State Rep. Bill Foster were instrumental in securing funding for this preservation project for the farming community of Scott. ``This,'' as said by William, ``is a project that is very dear to me.'' William was a life-long member of All Souls Church in Scott. He has served as Sunday School Superintendent, Chairman of the church Board of Directors, and as All Souls Church Trustee until the age of 75. Sadly, William died last month. He was preceded in death by one son, Judge Don Bevis of Cabot, and he is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary Jo Bennett Bevis, two sons--Rep. Bill Davis, Jr. and his wife Kay of Scott and Bob Bevis and his wife Liz of Scott--along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren and a host of friends. On behalf of the Congress, I extend sympathies and condolences to the family of William Jackson Bevis, Sr. His name commands respect and honor from all who knew him.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Arkansan and outstanding educator. I am proud to recognize James H. Mullen in the Congress for his invaluable contributions and service to his community, to our state, and to our nation. For over three decades James Mullen of DeWitt, Arkansas has made a profound impact on the lives of people. Born in Mendenhall, Mississippi, James served in the United States Air Force during World War II. After being honorably discharged, he used the GI benefits to attend Mississippi State University, where he earned a degree in agriculture. That government investment would reap tremendous returns. After graduating from Mississippi State, James moved to DeWitt, an area primarily dependent on its agrarian strengths. It was his responsibility to assist other veterans in developing their agricultural proficiency. In 1955, James accepted a job with the DeWitt Independent School system teaching agriculture. For the next eleven years he would remain in this position. His influence far exceeded his teaching responsibilities. It was not uncommon for young men to seek him out for personal counsel. His home was always open to young men who needed a listening ear, wise counsel, or any type of support. On one occasion a former student came to James and informed him he was going to quit college because of lack of funds. Although James didn't have the money to loan the student, he did the next best thing and went to the bank and secured a personal loan. Each summer, in addition to visiting in the home of each student, James would take a group of students to camp. He had the unique ability to have fun with the students while maintaining an authoritarian position. On one visit to summer camp, the students destroyed his hat. With James, there were two things you never messed with: his hat or his pipe! Before nightfall, he had driven all those boys to town and required them to purchase a new hat. He never lost control! In 1966, James joined the Arkansas State Department of Education as Associate Director of Petit Jean Vocational Technical School in Morrilton, Arkansas. He would remain in that position until 1970 when he was named Director of the Crowley's Ridge Vocational Technical School in Forrest City, Arkansas. At Crowley's Ridge, he inherited a fledgling institution and successfully restored the integrity of the institution. Construction of the Rice Belt Vocational Technical School was approved in 1974. Community leaders from DeWitt would accept no other than James Mullen as first choice to head the school. Building a school from the ground had been his ambition, and he quickly acquiesced to return to his adopted hometown. Because of the strong foundation laid by James and others, Rice Belt still stands as a model institution for continuing education. James is probably most proud of his long marriage to Mary Helen, and his children: Terry Mullen of Canyon Lake, Texas and Steve Mullen of Burleson, Texas. James H. Mullen is an educator, advisor and friend to many. He has dedicated his life to serving his fellow citizens as a leader in both his profession and his community, and he deserves our respect and gratitude for his priceless contributions. On behalf of the Congress, I extend congratulations and best wishes to my good friend James H. Mullen, on his successes and achievements.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, here we go again. Once again, we are taking up the Patients' Bill of Rights in this House. We have already passed a good, a true, an honest Patients' Bill of Rights in the House of Representatives. We passed it in the 105th Congress; we passed it in the 106th. It was a bipartisan effort. Now we are going to be presented with a new Patients' Bill of Rights that they say is 80 percent like the real Patients' Bill of Rights, the Ganske-Dingell-Norwood-Berry bill. Mr. Speaker, it is amazing that we are going to try once again to fool the American people and trick them into believing that the insurance companies are not going to control their destiny when it comes to health care. The fact is, if we do not pass the Ganske- Dingell-Norwood-Berry bill in this House, the American people will still be at the mercy of the insurance companies. Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of the Ganske-Dingell-Norwood-Berry Patients' Bill of Rights.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Arkansan and outstanding Osteopathic physician. I am proud to recognize James E. Zini, D.O., in the Congress for his invaluable contributions and service to his community, to our state, and to our nation. Dr. Zini epitomizes the Osteopathic profession. With his application of Osteopathic practices and principals, he personifies the model D.O. physician--practicing in a small rural town taking care of people, not just treating symptoms. He started his family practice in rural Mountain View, Arkansas, in 1977. In his Mountain View and Marshall clinics, along with partner David Burnette, D.O., office manager Judy Zini, and the Zini Clinic staff, Jim makes sure that each patient visit--approximately 13,000 annually--is remembered as excellent, quality D.O. care. Dr. Zini is Board Certified in Family Practice by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians and is a fellow of the college. Jim is also Board Certified by the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians. As a founder and leader of the Arkansas Osteopathic Medical Association (AOMA), Dr. Zini tirelessly worked to advance the Arkansas Osteopathic profession: to promote the Osteopathic family in all areas affecting D.O.s; and to protect the licensure, practice and educational interests of all Arkansas D.O.s. Dr. Zini has served his state association with distinction: Founder, President, Vice President, Committee Chairperson, Member, and he received the first AOMA Physician of the Year Award in 1989. Jim is also the first D.O. to serve on the Arkansas State Medical Board--a position designated by law that he worked to enact. Dr. Zini furthered his commitment to the Osteopathic profession at the national level: serving as an Arkansas delegate to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) House of Delegates; numerous House committees; AOA Board of Trustees; several key AOA committees and chairmanships; and 2001-2002 AOA President. As a community leader, Dr. Zini's recognitions include: 1998 Flight Safety Award, Federal Aviation Administration; 1997 Distinguished Citizen Award, Mountain View Chamber of Commerce; 1996 Alumni of the Year Award, University of Health Sciences in Kansas City, Missouri; 1991 Federal Aviation Administration Certificate of Recognition; Sigma Sigma Phi Honorary Osteopathic Fraternity; and 1972 Ordained Minister, St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Little Rock, Arkansas. James E. Zini, D.O., is a physician, advisor and friend to many. He has dedicated his life to serving his fellow citizens as a leader in both his profession and his community, and he deserves our respect and gratitude for his priceless contributions. On behalf of the Congress, I extend congratulations and best wishes to my good friend James E. Zini, D.O., on his successes and achievements.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Ohio for his leadership in this effort. The American people, Mr. Chairman, are continuing to be robbed by the brand-name prescription drug manufacturers in this country. The reason that happens is because they have patent protection, they have trade barriers to protect them, and they have limited access to generic medicine. It is time that we do something about that. It is time that we make reasonably priced prescription medicine available to the American people. We know that they could be saving $20 billion a year today if they had access to generic medicine that is not available to them today. What we are asking in this amendment is that we provide $2.5 million to the FDA so they can have the ability to approve more generic medicine to the American people that would be offered at a much more reasonable price and create competition in the prescription medicine market that we have to deal with today. Generic drugs cost, on the average, 75 percent less than brand names. As I said, we know that we can save the American people $20 billion a year if we do this. It takes 6 to 12 months to review a new drug application, but it takes 18 months today, because of FDA's limited ability, to approve a generic drug application. This does not make any sense that this would be the case. So I urge the Members of this House to vote for this amendment and support the effort of the gentleman from Ohio to provide the American people with reasonably priced prescription medicine.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, we definitely have an energy crisis in this country. There is no question about it, and it is time for us to find a solution. It does us no good to try to blame each other. The President and the Republicans put forth their energy policy last week. It calls for more production. We agree with that. It is a partial solution. We know we are going to have to have increased production. I was disappointed that it did not call for increased production from the OPEC countries on the short term. We are the greatest economic power on the face of the Earth. And if we can be held hostage by OPEC in this time, then we are not the greatest economic power on the face of the Earth; and we should recognize that and deal with it appropriately. We know that conservation is the cheapest and quickest way to help our situation. We know that alternative energy sources are important and should be researched and developed as is appropriate. We know that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should do the responsible thing.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great American, and I am proud to recognize Joyce Williams in the Congress for her invaluable contributions and service to our nation. Joyce comes from the small town of Bono, Arkansas, but her resume shows that she has not had a small town life. In the first place, she is one of the best-educated people I know, having attended Arkansas State University, the Graduate Institute of Politics, Jonesboro Business College, John Robert Powers Modeling School, and of course, Bono High School. Right now she and her husband Jim--who also is a wonderful friend-- operate Williams & Associates Management Consultants, but I came to know her when she worked for me after I was elected in Congress. In total Joyce spent 22 years employed with the U.S. House of Representatives, and her experience in the offices of my predecessors was crucial as I learned how to represent the First Congressional District of Arkansas. Before working for our institution, Joyce had jobs in industry with General Electric and A.D.T., as well as in the bookkeeping trade and sales. In addition to these professional responsibilities, Joyce somehow found time to be the Governor of Altrusa International, and hold memberships in the Altrusa Club of Jonesboro, the Order of the Eastern Star, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, the Girl Scout Council, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, the Arkansas Democratic Women, the Craighead County Democratic Women, the Craighead County Election Commission, the Walnut Street Baptist Church. Joyce is a devoted mother to her daughter Teresa Jo--now Mrs. Michael Watkins--and spends a great deal of time with her grandchildren Seth and Sarah Watkins, and she is a devoted daughter to her own mother. I am proud to recognize Joyce Williams for everything she has done to help me and the residents of the communities that have been lucky enough to count her as a member. Today I want to express my appreciation on behalf of those people, and on behalf of the citizens of this nation.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great American, and I am proud to recognize Jimmie Lou Fisher in the Congress for her invaluable contributions and service to our state and nation. I have known Jimmie Lou for years, and I can testify from experience to her public service and the example she has set for others. Jimmie Lou has served longer than any other state treasurer in Arkansas history. As one of the first female office holders in our state, she has been a positive role-model and trailblazer for young women. Most importantly, she executes her responsibilities effectively, and combines her obvious competence with a passion for politics. This explains why the citizens of Arkansas have elected her so many times, and why she has inspired so many others to become involved in our political system. Clearly Jimmie Lou has mastered her job, and has shown creativity and ingenuity in the process. In 1990 she was named the president of the National Association of State Treasurers. Recently she was the only state treasurer in the nation to employ a state-of-the-art investment and general ledger system, which has cut paperwork and processing in half, and dramatically reduced maintenance costs. Her many awards and nominations indicate the degree to which she has touched the lives of people in communities large and small. President Bill Clinton was lucky to have her as a district coordinator when he first ran for governor; the Democratic party was lucky to have her in all of the capacities she accepted in its behalf; the citizens of Arkansas were lucky to have her through almost eighteen years of public service; and the women in our state have been lucky to have her as a role model and inspiration. Jimmie Lou decided to retire from politics this year, which came as a surprise to many people in our state. We all wish she could have served forever. On behalf of the citizens of the state of Arkansas and this nation, with great love and respect, I thank her for everything she has done to improve the lives of others. I am very proud to call her my friend.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great American, and I am proud to recognize Reverend Felix B. Duckworth in the Congress for his invaluable contributions and service to our nation. Reverend Duckworth was born in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1964, and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He has been married to his lovely wife for 14 years, and he has two beautiful daughters who are 13 and 14 years of age. His is a life of devotion to the church, and he has spent 20 years in the ministry winning souls for Christ. For ten of those twenty years Reverend Duckworth has been pastor of a church. He served seven of the ten years as Pastor of the Star of Zion Baptist Church in Corpus Christi, Texas. While at the Star of Zion, he was as a member of the City Revitalization/Economic Development Committee. It was here that he committed himself to improving socially and economically distressed areas. Through his work on that board, Reverend Duckworth helped to build and develop the infrastructure for the city of Robstown, Texas, a suburb of Corpus Christi. After leaving the Star of Zion, he moved to Forrest City, Arkansas, where he assumed the stewardship of Salem M.B. Church. At Salem, he continued his life's work by providing the vision to construct the Salem M.B. Church Family Life Center. Reverend Duckworth used his experience in Corpus Christi to give Forrest City a resource that will provide the community with much-needed intervention and prevention programs. The Salem M.B. Church Family Life Center will serve as a community center that will offer counseling, tutoring and wellness services. The facility will have a computer learning center that is the result of a collaborative effort of state and federal agencies. The Center's primary focus is promoting the importance of getting a good education and addressing the social problems that are ever-present in distressed communities. Reverend Duckworth has written several papers conveying his thoughts on leadership and stewardship. Recently he completed a Leadership Manual addressing church leadership philosophies that will probably be published in late 2001. In addition to his main responsibilities with the church, Reverend Duckworth somehow has found time to be Moderator of the North Arkansas Baptist District Association, which oversees 12 churches; President of the St. Francis County (Arkansas) Ministerial Alliance; a member of the Community Relations Board at Forrest City Federal Prison; Chaplain of the Baptist Memorial Health Care Center in St. Francis County; a member of the St. Francis County TEA Coalition Board; and a member of the St. Francis County NAACP. I am proud to recognize Reverend Duckworth for everything he has done to help the residents of the communities that have been lucky enough to count him as a member, and I want to express my appreciation on behalf of those people, and on behalf of the citizens of this nation.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, there is a great country music song by Merle Haggard called Rainbow Stew. It says: ``When the President goes through the White House door and does what he says he will do, we will all be drinking that free Bubble Up and eating that rainbow stew.'' This budget is rainbow stew. Now, to make rainbow stew, the recipe calls first for a rainbow. That is what we have got with this budget is a rainbow. In the last campaign, the President and the Republicans promised prescription drugs for our seniors. Medicare and Social Security will be protected. We are going to pay off the debt. We are going to take care of education, national defense, agriculture. The list goes on and on. This is a buckeye. Folklore in Arkansas tells us about if one carries this buckeye. It is a relatively worthless little nut that grows on a bush. I do not know that humans ate it and not too sure that any animals eat it. But I can tell my colleagues that one is supposed to carry that in one's pocket and rub it, and it will bring one good luck and take care of rheumatism. That is what the prescription drug plan by the Republicans are going to amount to. I urge my colleagues to realize what a ridiculous document this budget is.

Mr. BERRY

Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Texas, for yielding to me. I also want to thank him for his leadership in this matter, and for his continued effort to see that not only the senior citizens in this country but also the American people are treated fairly when they go to the drugstore to buy their medicine that they have to have to stay healthy and stay alive and have a decent life. It is an amazing thing to me that here we are, the richest, most powerful nation in the history of the world, and yet our senior citizens do not have the medicine that they need to stay healthy and stay alive, and those that are able to buy it are thrown into abject poverty many times, and forced to make a decision between food and medicine. How many times have we come to this floor in the last 4 years, I say to my colleague from Texas, how many times have we come to this floor to talk about this? In the last election, Republicans and Democrats, every candidate we saw, said, ``Boy, we are for it. We are going to take care of it. We are going to do everything. We are going to provide you with your medicine, and everything is going to be wonderful.'' Merle Haggard, the great country and western singer, has this wonderful song he sings called Rainbow Stew. He says, ``When a man is elected and goes through the White House doors and does what he says he will do, we will all be drinking that free bubble-up and eating that rainbow stew.'' I think it is rainbow stew time. In Arkansas, in our folklore there, we have something called a buckeye. It looks like a nut. As far as I know, it is not good to eat and nobody eats it, and animals do not eat it. According to the folklore, if you get a buckeye and put it in your pocket, it will ward off evil spirits and give good luck, and keep rheumatism from attacking you. I have been carrying a buckeye, but I have been giving them away, because that is the only prescription drug plan it looks like we are going to get from the Bush administration. I am giving it to as many of my senior friends as I can, and I am out of buckeyes now. I wish I had one to show it to the Members. It looks like that is going to be the prescription drug plan. The President has already said he does not want to do anything about price. It is all right for the American people to get robbed day after day after day. Whether one is a senior or not, one is getting robbed. Here we are, we are going to be asked tomorrow to vote for a budget that nobody has seen. The most we are going to know about it is what speculation we can get and what little bit of information we can get from the committee staff in some way or other. I do not even think some of them have seen much of it. We are going to be asked to vote for a lot of things, particularly for some major tax cuts. Like my colleague, the gentleman from Mississippi, said a while ago, I am in favor of some of those tax cuts. But what could be a better tax cut than to see that our senior citizens are not thrown into abject poverty, or create a situation where their family has to lend great support to them to see them stay healthy, stay alive, and have what they need to have a decent life? These are the very people that built this country into the great nation it is today. They worked hard, played by the rules. Now we are telling them, ``Well, we just really do not think we can afford to take care of you. We do not know you anymore. We gave you Medicare in 1965.'' A health care plan for seniors today without a prescription drug benefit is the equivalent of not having Medicare in 1965. It does not make any sense. It certainly does not seem like the right thing to do. I think it is absolutely irresponsible to bring a budget to the floor tomorrow that does not provide a good, honest, straightforward prescription drug benefit for our senior citizens, and the mechanism where Americans do not have to pay twice as much or three times as much for their medicine as any other country in the world. I would urge the majority party to think about these things before they bring that budget to the floor. Think about the commitments they made in the last election. How can they go home and face their constituents and tell them, ``Well, we are going to take care of that next year,'' or, ``We are going to figure out some way to make people think we are going to take care of it,'' knowing that these seniors created this country we have today, and yet they are being ignored by their own government. Not only are we not providing prescription drug benefits for these seniors, we are allowing the prescription drug manufacturers of this country to rob them at the same time. It is not right, it is not fair, and every Member of this Congress should be working day and night to try to do something about it. We should not allow this to go past Memorial Day and not do something about the fact that the American people are being terribly mistreated by the prescription drug manufacturers. Again, I cannot begin to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Texas, for the leadership he has provided on this matter. I think we are very fortunate to have such leaders, and I consider myself privileged to work with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner), not only in the Blue Dogs, not only on prescription drug and health care matters, but also as we work through this budget, through the other issues that are going to determine whether or not we are going to have these kinds of benefits for our seniors. Mr. Speaker, our majority leader ever since 1995 has mentioned on the floor I believe that we should let Medicare wither on the vine. This is precisely the direction we are headed in if we do not do something about not only a prescription drug benefit for Medicare, but making sure that we have adequate funding in that program to see that our seniors will have Medicare and a prescription drug benefit in years to come. The budget we are going to be asked to vote on tomorrow will actually make that situation worse, not better. We all know that. There is expected to be a provision in there that basically robs the Medicare trust fund, takes away our ability to provide even the services that we are providing now to our seniors. I think that is absolutely irresponsible.